Forest make it 16 wins on the stretch

There’s no stopping Pendle Forest in Division Two of the North Hockey Women’s League as they extended their winning streak to 16 games.

The 10-0 victory over Clitheroe and Blackburn takes them one step closer to another appearance in the play-offs.

The visitors were holding their own with the game in its infancy but a penalty corner strike from Lisa Crewe saw Charlotte Hartley neatly take the rebound and put Forest ahead.

Soon after, a strike by Freya Bythell was deflected in by Hayley Baines.

Then a drag flick from another penalty corner by Crewe found the top left corner putting Forest 3-0 up after 20 minutes.

Karen Wignall scored the fourth from another penalty corner, tapping in the rebound after the keeper had kept the initial shot out.

Hartley bagged another just before half-time when weaving between two opponents and slipping the ball past the goalkeeper when one-on-one.

Crewe opened the second half scoring with a great strike from the left in open play.

The league’s most prolific player then turned provider as she sent a strong pass down the centre reaching Baines in the ‘D’ who swiftly swept it home.

A quick substitution then allowed Hartley to stretch the play with a ball to Freya Bythell on the right wing, crossing it to Wignall who easily placed it past the keeper.

Forest defender Olivia Purtill turned in Crewe’s shot at the back post to make it 9-0 while player of the match, Olivia Bythell, capped a fine performance when forcing the ball over the line to complete the scoring.

Meanwhile Forest’s thirds close d the gap on rivals Rossall with a 3-2 triumph.

Forest made the breakthrough when Nicole Cain combined with Cath Hutchinson down the left hand side before squaring across the ‘D’ for Claire Louise Birkett who, with her back to goal, flicked the ball in backwards through her legs.

Rossall came back at Forest and managed to level the game by half time but the hosts responded well.

Birkett, Rebecca Whitham-Kay and Hutchinson were all involved in the build up, Lehanna Taylor advanced down the right flank and squared for Amy Trickett who launched a rocket past the keeper.

Forest extended their advantage when Markham, Whitham-Kay and player of the match Ratcliffe contributed before the latter picked out Dee McInnes and the skipper powerfully slapped the ball between the keeper’s legs.

Forest did tire as they’d worked hard to control Rossall’s young midfielders and the away side managed to nick a second just before the final whistle.